Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Eastern Michigan
Benbow's Career Day Lifts Baseball Over Eastern Michigan
May 01, 2010 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State senior left fielder Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) notched a career-high three home runs to lead the Cardinals to an 18-11 victory over Mid-American Conference West Division rival Eastern Michigan Saturday afternoon at Ball Diamond. The victory keeps the Cardinals in sole possession of first place in the MAC with a 13-4 league record and secures their sixth straight league weekend series victory of the year.
Benbow hit three of the Cardinals' six home runs in the victory as he finished the day 5-for-5 from the plate, while driving in six runs. His five hits ties his career high as he also turned in a 5-for-5 performance last season at Missouri (March 7, 2009). He also becomes the second Cardinal this season to hit three home runs in a game as sophomore Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) accomplished the feat earlier this year against Indiana Tech (April 14).
Ball State (22-21, 13-4 MAC) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning against EMU left-hander Collin Taylor. Junior Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) was hit by a pitch with two outs to extend the inning for BSU cleanup hitter Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola). Dygert crushed a 2-0 pitch high over the left center field wall for his ninth home run of the season and second of the series.
The Cardinals broke the game open with five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 7-0 lead. Benbow opened the inning with his seventh home run of the season over the left field wall. After two quick outs, freshman Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) ripped a single through the left side and junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) dropped a perfect bunt single down the third base line to put two aboard.
Freshman Blake Beemer (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) drove in the Cardinals' fourth run of the day as he lined a run-scoring single into center field to plate Campbell and put runners on the corners. Vitek continued his stellar weekend as he sent the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for his MAC-leading 14th home run of the season and his third home run of the series to put BSU in front 7-0.
Eastern Michigan (21-23, 10-7 MAC) scratched across its first run of the afternoon in the top of the third inning against sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). Daniel Russell led off the inning with a single and Bowling hit Aaron Crooks with the next pitch to put two aboard. Bowling almost worked out of the inning as he induced a pop fly and a ground ball but leadoff man Brent Ohrman beat the throw to nullify the double play. Zach Leonard followed with a run-scoring single through the right side to make it a 7-1 contest.
Ball State got the run right back in the bottom half of the frame as it tallied its fourth home run in the first three innings. Benbow struck for the second time as he hit his eighth home run of the season over the left field wall for an 8-1 Ball State lead.
Eastern Michigan answered back with three runs in the top of the fourth inning to narrow the gap to 8-4. The Eagles took advantage of a BSU fielding error to score their first run of the inning before Kyle Klein hit a two-run home run over the right field wall to make it a four-run contest.
The Cardinals responded to the threat in the bottom of the fourth inning as they plated four more runs to extend the lead to 12-4. Baumet led off the inning with his fifth home run of the season over the left center field wall. After Dygert reached on a fielder's choice, Nielsen drew a walk to put two aboard and chase Taylor from the game.
Benbow notched his third RBI of the game as he lined a single into center field to score Dygert against right-hander Neil Butara. Freshman Stephen Claypool (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) put the Cardinals ahead by eight as he recorded a two-run double into the left center field gap.
After Eastern Michigan scored two unearned runs in the fifth, the Eagles kept battling back as they plated five runs in the sixth inning to pull within one run at 12-11. Leonard recorded a two-run triple to open the scoring and Andrew Marshall made it a one-run game with a three-run home run off right-hander Seth Hobbs (Marseilles, Ill./Seneca). Freshman left-hander Jon Cisna (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) came on in relief and got two outs to end the threat with the Cardinals clinging to a 12-11 lead.
Ball State came right back in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored four runs to extend the lead to 16-11. Vitek led off the inning with a single and came all the way home as Dygert doubled down the left field line. Nielsen drove in the second run of the inning with a single to chase Butara from the game. Benbow welcomed reliever Tim Combs abruptly as he hit his third home run of the game off the scoreboard in left center field for 16-11 lead.
The Cardinals extended their lead to 18-11 with two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Nielsen led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Benbow drove in his sixth run of the afternoon as he doubled into left center field for his fifth hit of the afternoon. Claypool followed with another run-scoring double into left center field to round out the scoring.
Cisna sealed the victory as he slammed the door shut on the Eagles' offense as he tossed 3.2 shutout innings to earn his first career save. He allowed just one base runner over the final 3.2 innings, including facing just nine batters total in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Bowling (4-3) picked up the victory as he lasted 5.0 innings and allowed four earned runs in 10 hits while striking out four batters.
Taylor (2-5) was charged with the loss as he was tagged for 11 runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings of work. Butara lasted 1.1 innings and allowed four runs on five hits while Combs worked the final 3.0 innings and allowed three runs.
Vitek and Dygert each finished the afternoon with two hits, three RBI and three runs scored. Claypool also drove in three runs as he finished with three hits, including two doubles.
The Cardinals and Eagles will conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond.
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